NORTH DIVISION

EVANSVILLE ICEMEN

FORT WAYNE KOMETS

CINCINNATI CYCLONES

KALAMAZOO WINGS

TOLEDO WALLEYE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

ELMIRA JACKALS

READING ROYALS

TRENTON TITANS

WHEELING NAILERS

SOUTH DIVISION

FLORIDA EVERBLADES

GREENVILLE ROAD WARRIORS

GWINNETT GLADIATORS

ORLANDO SOLAR BEARS

SOUTH CAROLINA STINGRAYS

WESTERN CONFERENCE

MOUNTAIN DIVISION

ALASKA ACES

COLORADO EAGLES

IDAHO STEELHEADS

UTAH GRIZZLIES

PACIFIC DIVISION

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

LAS VEGAS WRANGLERS

ONTARIO REIGN

SAN FRANCISCO BULLS

STOCKTON THUNDER

EVANSVILLE, IN.— In their first major press conference of the 2012 summer off-season, on Thursday, May 17th at their home of the Ford Center, downtown Evansville, the Evansville IceMen, in conjunction with the ECHL, have announced that the Evansville franchise has been approved for admission as a member of the ECHL.

The IceMen will launch their ECHL debut in October 2012 when professional hockey’s Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season, as it becomes the third longest term pro circuit behind only the National Hockey League (NHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL).

Brian McKenna - ECHL Commissioner

In attendance for today’s latest ground-breaking IceMen franchise development, ECHL Commissioner Brian McKenna welcomed the Evansville franchise to the League fold. “The ECHL is pleased to welcome the Evansville IceMen to the League. Under the leadership of Ron Geary, the team has developed a strong base of fans. This loyal following, combined with a terrific new arena in the Ford Center, make Evansville a strong addition to the ECHL as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary Season. The IceMen are a welcome addition to our Midwest footprint.”

Ron Geary - IceMen Owner

Evansville Team Owner and Club President Geary echoed similar sentiments especially accenting his organization’s excitement on its latest new endeavor in its ongoing evolution in the world of professional hockey. “The IceMen organization is delighted to become a part of such an outstanding league as the ECHL.

As our franchise continues its growth and development, this move really becomes a natural progression for us. Through their great support and enthusiasm, our growing numbers of loyal and devoted fans have demonstrated how much they want to see a top-flight, quality product. Our step today is another move in that direction. We have come a long way in a short period of time. This is a true testament and tribute to our fans and the Evansville/Tri-State community. The IceMen pro hockey fans of Evansville and the Tri-State will thrill to seeing future NHL players today playing in the ECHL and in the colors of the IceMen. We are looking forward to being a member of the ECHL beginning in the league’s 25th Anniversary Season and the long-term growth and stability which we firmly belief the ECHL offers our IceMen franchise.”

The 2012-13 League membership is comprised of 23-teams, aligned in two conferences (Eastern & Western) and five divisions; (North, Atlantic & South in the Eastern Conference; Mountain & Pacific in the Western Conference).

The IceMen will become a member club of the Eastern Conference/North Division which will be comprised of the Ft. Wayne Komets (formerly in the CHL) Cincinnati Cyclones, Kalamazoo Wings and Toledo Walleye.

Under a special two-year agreement, the Evansville IceMen, as an IHL entity, operated their franchise in the Central Hockey League in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 CHL seasons.

Mr. Geary acknowledged the opportunity to be a part of the CHL, expressing the club’s appreciation and gratitude to the league. “The Evansville IceMen organization would like to thank the Central Hockey League for the opportunity to be a part of their league for the past two years. As a pro hockey organization, it was not only a most enjoyable experience for us but also it has brought us to this day, today. We are most appreciative.”

As for the IceMen’s new league address, the ECHL was born in the 1988-89 season with five teams in four states, having since grown to become a coast-to-coast league with 23-teams in 16-states for the upcoming 2012-13 season.

Evolving into a primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL, the ECHL has sent over 490-players to the NHL including 23 in the 2011-12 season. The ECHL had a record 81-players on NHL opening day rosters this season, surpassing the 79 from 2010-11 and marking the ninth consecutive year that there have been over 50 former ECHL players on opening day rosters.

The ECHL had affiliations with 26 of the 30 NHL teams in 2011-12 while 29-coaches with an ECHL background are working behind the benches of teams in the NHL.

For the 2011-12 campaign, the ECHL averaged 4,281 fans per game. It was the eighth straight season and the 20th time in the last 22-years that the ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans.

Concerning the IceMen attendance in their inaugural season at their new home of the Ford Center in 2011-12, Evansville finished fourth in the CHL with an average attendance of 4,882.

Evansville will begin play in October when the Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League celebrates its 25th season, making it the third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.

Evansville plays its home games at the Ford Center, an 11,000-seat building which opened in November in downtown Evansville. The IceMen have been members of the Central Hockey League for the previous two seasons, and were fourth in the league in attendance in 2011-12 with an average of 4,882 per game.

“The ECHL is pleased to welcome the Evansville IceMen to the League,” said ECHL
Commissioner Brian McKenna. “Under the leadership of Ron Geary, the team has developed a strong base of fans. This loyal following, combined with a terrific new arena, make Evansville a strong addition to the ECHL as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary. The IceMen are a welcome addition to our Midwest footprint.”

“The IceMen organization is delighted to become a part of such an outstanding league as the ECHL,” said IceMen Owner/President Ron Geary. “Through their great support and enthusiasm, our growing numbers of loyal and devoted fans have demonstrated how much they want to see a top-flight, quality product. Our step today is another move in that direction. We have come a long way in a short period of time. This is a true testament and tribute to our fans and the Evansville/Tri-State community. We are looking forward to being a member of the ECHL beginning in the league’s 25th Anniversary season.”

Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League Fast Facts

• Watch games live on America One, the “Official Broadband & Mobile Broadcaster” of the
ECHL.

• The ECHL celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2007-08 and is the third-longest tenured
professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League.

• ECHL began in 1988-89 with five teams in four states and has grown to be a coast-to-coast league with 20 teams in 16 states 2011-12.
• The league officially changed its name from East Coast Hockey League to ECHL on May 19, 2003.

• 490 players have played in the NHL after playing in the ECHL including 23 in 2010-11.

• 23 ECHL players have made their NHL debuts this season: former Toledo Walleye, Gwinnett
Gladiators and Colorado Eagles right wing Akim Aliu (Calgary on April 5), former Florida
Everblades center Mike Angelidis (Tampa Bay on Jan. 24), former Victoria Salmon Kings
defenseman Jordie Benn (Dallas on Jan. 3), former Bakersfield Condors and Elmira Jackals
defenseman Stu Bickel (New York Rangers on Dec. 20), former Greenville Road Warriors
defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon (Philadelphia on Nov. 21), former South Carolina Stingrays
defenseman Joe Finley (Buffalo on Dec. 2), Cincinnati Cyclones goaltender Brian Foster
(Florida on Feb. 4), former Victoria Salmon Kings defenseman Kris Fredheim (Minnesota on
Nov. 17), former Gwinnett Gladiators center Ryan Garbutt (Dallas on Feb. 18), former Elmira Jackals center Mike Hoffman (Ottawa on Dec. 23), former Victoria Salmon Kings goaltender
Leland Irving (Calgary on Dec. 16), former Toledo Storm and Reading Royals center Bracken Kearns (Florida on Oct. 19), Stockton Thunder center Milan Kytnar (Edmonton on Jan. 11),
former Bakersfield Condors center Maxime Macenauer (Anaheim on Oct. 7), former Ontario Reign center Jordan Nolan (Los Angeles on Feb. 11), former Idaho Steelheads center and two- time ECHL All-Star Greg Rallo (Florida on Dec. 18), former Cincinnati Cyclones center Ryan Russell (Columbus on Jan. 7), former Reading Royals goaltender Jussi Rynnas (Toronto on March 27), former Reading Royals goaltender Ben Scrivens (Toronto on Nov. 3), former Cincinnati Cyclones defenseman Frederic St. Denis (Montreal on Nov. 16), former Ontario Reign defenseman Colten Teubert (Edmonton on Nov. 3), former Wheeling Nailers goaltender Brad Thiessen (Pittsburgh on Feb. 26) and former Las Vegas Wranglers right wing Matt Watkins
(Phoenix on Feb. 21).

• Six players have played in the ECHL and NHL in 2011-12: Akim Aliu with Colorado and
Calgary, Brian Foster with Cincinnati and Florida, Milan Kytnar with Stockton and Edmonton, Peter Mannino with Chicago and Winnipeg, Jussi Rynnas with Reading and Toronto and Allen York with Chicago and Columbus.

• The ECHL has had 298 players reach the NHL since 2002-03 when it changed its focus to become the primary developmental league for the NHL and the AHL. The ECHL had 97 players reach the NHL in its first 10 seasons and 215 in the first 15 years.

• 234 ECHL players have played their first game in the last seven seasons for an average of more than 33 per year.

• ECHL had a record 81 players on NHL opening-day rosters in 2011-12, surpassing the 79 from 2010-11 and marking the ninth year in a row that there have been over 50 former ECHL players on opening-day rosters.

• ECHL has affiliations with 26 of the 30 NHL teams in 2011-12, marking the 15th consecutive season that the league had affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL.

• 31 coaches with an ECHL background are working behind the benches of teams in the NHL including Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma, New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano, Dallas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan, Philadelphia Flyers head coach Peter Laviolette and Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel. It is the seventh consecutive season that there have been 11 or more coaches with an ECHL background working in the NHL. Boudreau, who coached Mississippi for three seasons winning the Kelly Cup championship in 1999, was named NHL Coach of the Year in 2007-08 becoming the first former ECHL coach to receive the award.

• There are 22 former ECHL officials scheduled to work as part of the NHL officiating team in 2011-12 with referees David Banfield, Francis Charron, Ghislain Hebert, Jean Hebert, Marc Joannette, Mike Leggo, Wes McCauley, Dean Morton, Dan O’Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Justin St. Pierre, Graham Skilliter and Ian Walsh, and linesmen Steve Barton, Brian Mach, Matt MacPherson, Tim Nowak, Bryan Pancich and Jay Sharrers.

• ECHL was represented for the 11th year in a row on the Stanley Cup champion with Boston Bruins assistant coach Geoff Ward, players Michael Ryder, Rich Peverley and Tim Thomas, radio broadcaster Dave Goucher and scout Tom McVie. Thomas is the first former ECHL player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There were 34 former players and 19 coaches on the 16 teams competing in the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the sixth year in a row that there have been at least 30 former ECHL players and the eighth consecutive season that over 25 players with ECHL experience have competed in the NHL postseason.

• Former Hampton Roads Admirals left wing Andrew Brunette became the first ECHL alum to play in 1,000 regular-season NHL games when he reached the milestone with the Minnesota Wild on Feb. 1, 2011.

• Former ECHL and current Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas was the recipient of the Vezina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL in 2010-11, marking the second time he has won the award in the past three seasons. Thomas set a single-season NHL record with a .938 save percentage.

• Former ECHL player and current Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma was the
recipient of the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s Coach of the Year in 2010-11.

• ECHL was represented in the 2012 NHL All-Star Game by Dan Girardi of the New York
Rangers, Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings and Tim Thomas of the Boston Bruins.

• Former ECHL broadcasters working in the NHL include John Ahlers and Steve Carroll of the Anaheim Ducks, Tom Callahan of the Nashville Predators, Dave Goucher of the Boston Bruins, Chris Kerber of the St. Louis Blues, Jack Michaels of the Edmonton Oilers, Dave Mishkin of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Bob McElligott of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

• Ryan Stanzel and Jeremy Zager, who were both recipients of the ECHL Media Relations
Director of the Year award, are working in the communications department for the Minnesota Wild and the Los Angeles Kings, respectively. Former ECHL assistant director of communications Joe Siville and Kelly Murray are now with the Philadelphia Flyers and the Washington Capitals, respectively.

• ECHL has affiliations with 24 of the 30 teams in the American Hockey League in 2011-12 and for the past 22 years there has been an ECHL player on the Calder Cup Champion.

• In the last seven seasons the ECHL has had more call-ups to the AHL than all other
professional leagues combined with over 3,000 call-ups involving more than 1,500 players and in 2010-11 there were 10 times as many call-ups from the ECHL to the AHL than all other professional leagues.

• The ECHL averaged 4,339 fans per game in 2010-11, marking the seventh consecutive season and the 19th time in the last 21 years that the ECHL has averaged over 4,000 fans.

• Further information on the ECHL is available from its website at ECHL.com.

The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States. It is generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League.

The ECHL and the AHL are the only minor leagues recognized by the collective bargaining agreement between the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association, meaning any player signed to an entry-level NHL contract and designated for assignment must report to a club either in the AHL or the ECHL. Additionally, the league’s players are represented by the Professional Hockey Players’ Association in negotiations with the ECHL itself.

26 of the 30 National Hockey League teams have affiliations with the ECHL, and 490 players have advanced from the ECHL to play in the NHL.

http://www.echl.com/

An official press release will follow.

ALL MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA AS WELL AS ICEMEN FANS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. IN ATTENDANCE AT THE ICEMEN PRESS CONFERENCE WILL BE TEAM OWNER/PRESIDENT RON GEARY ALONG WITH GENERAL MANAGER/HEAD COACH RICH KROMM.

THE ICEMEN ORGANIZATION WILL BE MAKING A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING THE FUTURE DIRECTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE EVANSVILLE PRO HOCKEY FRANCHISE.

THE FIFTH/THIRD HOSPITALITY ROOM IS LOCATED ON THE LOWER LEVEL JUST OFF THE MAIN LOBBY WITH ENTRANCE/ACCESS BEING THROUGH THE FORD CENTER FRONT DOORS ON SIXTH AVENUE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING ALL OF YOU WITH US.

EVANSVILLE, IN.— The Evansville IceMen have announced on this date the initial installment of their total number of four IceMen off-season summer radio programs coming up for next Monday night, May 21st.

“ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” SUMMER SPECIAL I is set on the docket for next MONDAY NIGHT, MAY 21ST from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, live, on-the-air presented from SHOW-ME’S EAST, located on Morgan Center Drive directly across from the Showplace Cinemas in Evansville.

WEOA-AM 1400, “THE PUMP” will continue to serve as the exclusive radio host for “ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” SUMMER SPECIAL I also providing the world-wide internet broadcast of the program through 1400amweoa.com.

The first installment of the IceMen summer shows will feature special guest, GENERAL MANAGER /HEAD COACH RICH KROMM. Having recently completed his second season at the helm behind the IceMen bench, Coach Kromm will discuss in review the recently concluded 2011-12 season while at the same time looking ahead in projecting what lies on the horizon for the Evansville on-ice fortunes for the 2012-13 campaign.

Much like the regular, weekly in-season edition of the show, the monthly formatted program for the summer off-season activities features guests from the IceMen organization as well as from pro hockey in general and local Tri-State local media personalities.

TERRY FICORELLI, “THE VOICE OF THE ICEMEN,” will continue serving as the popular program’s host and emcee in front of a live studio audience at SHOW-ME’S EAST as well as the entire Evansville / Tri-State radio region.

Everyone is invited to attend the IceMen live radio shows and become a part of the live studio audience experience. As is always the case, there will be lots of prizes and surprises included in every show.

After the May 21st program, the three remaining IceMen summer shows will be: MON. JUNE 25TH, MON. JULY 23RD and MON. AUGUST 27TH.

“ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” will mark its return in the form of four (4) summer specials, commencing with the starting date of MONDAY, MAY 21ST from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm with each live, on-air program presented from SHOW-ME’S EAST, located on Morgan Center Drive across from the Showplace Cinemas.

The IceMen flagship radio station home, WEOA-AM 1400, “THE PUMP,” will continue to serve as the radio host for the “ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” show with the program also presented on the world-wide internet at 1400amweoa.com.

The four (4) dates of the “ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” SUMMER SPECIALS will be: MONDAY, MAY 21ST; 2- MONDAY, JUNE 25TH; 3- MONDAY, JULY 23RD; 4- MONDAY, AUGUST 27TH.

Much like the regular, weekly, in-season edition of the show, this monthly-formatted program for the summer off-season activities will feature guests from the IceMen organization as well as from the Evansville and Tri-State local media with a broad range of pertinent subject matters addressed and discussed. Also, much like the seasonal show, information, entertainment and audience interaction and participation will continue to be strong staples of the show. The 4-summer specials will be one-hour in length while the weekly in-season format continues to consist of two full hours of 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

TERRY FICORELLI, “THE VOICE OF THE ICEMEN,” will continue to serve as program host and emcee in front of a live studio audience at SHOW-ME’S EAST as well as the entire Tri-State listenership.

Everyone is invited to attend the live IceMen radio shows and be a major part of the live studio audience experience. As is always customary with the “ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” radio show, there will be a veritable gaggle of gifts and plethora of prizes given away on each show.

Meanwhile, listeners who are also in-tune to quenching their off-season hockey thirst can turn their radio dial to WEOA-AM 1400 and the world-wide internet at 1400amweoa.com to enjoy the “ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” one-hour summer specials.

THE “ICEMEN LIVE PRESENTED BY COORS LIGHT” FOUR (4) SUMMER SPECIALS

1- MONDAY, MAY 21ST

2- MONDAY, JUNE 25TH

3- MONDAY, JULY 23RD

4- MONDAY, AUGUST 27TH

ALL ICEMEN SUMMER SPECIALS ARE FROM 6:00 PM TO 7:00 PM

ALL SUMMER SHOWS ON WEOA-AM 1400 & 1400amweoa.com

ALL SUMMER SHOWS AT SHOW-ME’S EAST

PROGRAM HOST: TERRY FICORELLI

Terry Ficorelli

The “Voice” of the Evansville IceMen, Terry Ficorelli will be appearing as a celebrity auctioneer on WNIN-TV 9 for its annual Sports Night Action Auction this Saturday night, April 28th from 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

As always, the show tonight is live from Show-Me’s East from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on WEOA-AM 1400.

25 - Nicklas Lindberg

18 - Mark Cody